Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Naveen Patnaik, the leader of the opposition in Odisha, expressed his profound worry on Tuesday over the startling increase in crimes against women in the state and called on the state government to act quickly and forcefully to protect women. The situation has grown serious and tragic, Patnaik added, citing worrying allegations of sexual assault in Puri, gang rape in Jagatsinghpur and Malkangiri, and rape in Jajpur.
“A disturbing wave of crimes against women is gripping Odisha. Both in cities and villages, the streets have become increasingly unsafe for women – in broad daylight and at night. A young student heading to school or returning from classes cannot be sure of her safety,” he stated.
He referred to the increase in sexual abuse cases as a sign that the state’s law and order structure had broken down. Patnaik cited a concerning decline in law enforcement and attributed this to political meddling in the police force, which weakened accountability and increased the risk for women and girls. Additionally, he called attention to a recent US government Level 2 travel advisory that named Odisha as one of six Indian states where US officials need special permission to travel outside of capital cities. Despite the state’s diminished Maoist danger, Patnaik stated that the advise probably reflects global worries about women’s safety.
Highlighting the now-withdrawn Ravenshaw University directive issued on July 17 banning women from staying on campus after 5:30 PM, Patnaik remarked, “It reflects the mindset of imposing restrictions on women instead of providing them security. It seems more like a punishment for women than a solution to the real issue. Allowing local party leaders to interfere in police stations will only normalise violence across the state – especially gender-based violence. BJD will continue to raise its voice for the protection of our mothers and sisters at every forum” he said.
